


Someone's Up to Something

by tommygirl



Category: The Losers (2010)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pre-Canon, Schmoop, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-18 12:25:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16994967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tommygirl/pseuds/tommygirl
Summary: Cougar is up to something and Jensen is not okay with it.  It makes him slightly crazy.





	Someone's Up to Something

**Author's Note:**

  * For [james](https://archiveofourown.org/users/james/gifts).



> Happy holidays! I hope this delivers on the request. it was definitely fun to write. Much love to my beta for looking it over and assuring me it wasn't a horrible mess.

The first time it happened, Jensen didn’t really think too much of it.  They had just finished a clusterfuck of back-to-back missions and Cougar tended to get lost in his head.  Jensen had learned a long time ago when it was best to push Cougar and when to let him do his own thing.

So it wasn’t that strange that Cougar had left Jensen in bed and taken off the morning after they got back.  Normally, they would both decompress together with a marathon viewing of television, but sometimes Cougar liked to go to the range for hours to process things.  The job in Columbia had been nothing but a shit-show from the start, ending with Jake nearly getting his hand cut off and Roque leaving with a broken foot. 

Jensen reminded himself that Cougar never did well when the hacker got hurt.  He had always been overprotective of their team, but everyone always teased him about how he got with Jensen.  For what it was worth, Jensen loved that about Cougar, adored being under the sniper’s watchful eye.

He only became concerned when it was nearly dinnertime and no one had seen Cougar.  Given the Losers’ history and run of bad luck, Jensen was envisioning horrible scenarios involving Clay’s numerous psycho exes and plotting out ways to rescue his partner.  Jensen was in the middle of an elaborate plan when Cougar finally came strolling in like nothing was out of the ordinary.  He nodded at Jake and disappeared up the stairs without a single word. 

Jensen forced himself not to rush off after Cougar, thinking about how Jess kept telling him he needed to learn to give people space.

It killed him, but Cougar knew that Jensen was there.  And that had to be enough.

Or so Jensen told himself as he forced himself to focus on the episode of Firefly he had been playing.

**

The second time was two days later and he couldn’t help but feel hurt when he grinned at Cougar as he came into the kitchen, only for the man to quickly pick up his paper and drop his plate in the sink.  Jake walked over to him and wrapped his arm around him.  Cougar patted his hand, but slipped out of Jensen’s grip and said, “Errands.”

“You want me to come?”

Cougar shook his head and before Jensen could get another word out, the sniper had ducked out the door.  Jensen glanced over at Clay.  Clay took a sip of his coffee and said, “We had this talk, Jensen.  If you had to mix work and pleasure, I was supposed to be kept far away from it.”

“So you don’t want to know how he’s my little cuddlebear?”

“For chrissakes, I should trade you in for a less mouthy tech op.”

“But you’d miss this shiny snowflake and I’m the best.”

Clay snorted as he stood up.  He dumped the remnants of his coffee in the sink and said, “Whatever this is, you fix it.”

“What do you mean?”

“He ran outta here.”

“I noticed, Clay.”

“So fix it.”

Jensen stormed off to keep himself from doing something he wouldn’t actually regret like destroying Clay’s credit again, but Clay wasn’t the one Jensen was actually annoyed with.  

Jensen told himself that it was nothing.  He was overreacting for no reason - Cougar always had his back and would never hurt him.  But Clay, the most oblivious person in the world when it came to emotions, had picked up on the strange vibe in the air and Jake had no idea what it meant or how to fix it.

**

The third time wasn’t much in the scheme of things, but it was enough to send Jensen’s brain into overdrive. Cougar had once again spent another day missing in action and he seemed to expect Jake’s plan to try to follow him.  When Jake had asked him at breakfast what he was doing and only gotten a tilt of the hat and a smile, Jensen decided to accept the sniper’s challenge to find out what was going on.  Cougar could be like a vault with secrets even with pitch-perfect whining (“you gotta tell me what Roque whispered in your ear high on morphine...no?  C’mon Cougs!”), but Jensen wasn’t okay when the secrets involved him.  He tried to be patient - like _three_ _whole_ _days_ of patient - but they were a team and Cougar was acting like that was news to him.

Jake tried not to take it personally.  He knew how his mind could tend to take a small thing (Cougar’s hope to do errands without getting dragged to look at every Knick-knack ever created) and turn it into a crisis of epic proportions (“My niece is right and I have cooties and now Cougar hates me.”)  But this was different.  He knew something was going on and he felt like everyone else was in on some joke that he wasn’t a part of and when Jensen attempted to pout, Cougar simply kissed his temple and said “Pobrecito.”  And damn the asshole for sounding so hot while being condenscending.

So Jensen wanted to take matters into his own hands.  Cougar was good, but Jensen was sneaky too and he would find out what was going on.  

Jake had hurried through breakfast with a mission, but underestimated his partner.  As well as he knew Cougar, the other man seemed to be able to read Jake’s mind.  Cougar had used his sniper skills to vanish before Jensen even noticed.  Jensen even tried to locate his phone but the bastard had left it on the night table.  

Even though he wouldn’t get it for awhile, Jensen shot him a text - _well played, Cougs._

**

Later that night, when Cougar was humming Christmas carols and chatting with their team about reality shows, Jensen became convinced that an alien had stolen his boyfriend.

Jensen pointed at him and said, “tell me something only my Cougar would know!”

Cougar shot him a look and said, “You like when I kiss your feet even though it tickles.”

”Gross, I’m eating and didn’t need to hear about foot shit,” Pooch complained, jumping up and rushing off with his plate.

Roque glared at Jensen and held up his knife to the light.  Jake replied, “He said it!”

“You wanted proof it was Cougar and you got it, Corporal.  And now I need a drink _or_ _ten_.  Let’s go, Roque.”

Once Cougar had cleared the room, he pulled Jake down onto the couch with him.  He smiled that melt-Jake-into-a-puddle grin and said, “Now we can finish that time travel show you like.”

Jake snorted.  “Only you would refer to Doctor Who that way.”

Cougar pressed a quick kiss to Jensen’s lips and arched an eyebrow.  “Is that a _yes_?”

Jake wrapped his arms around Cougar and replied, “I’d watch paint dry with you.”

”Must be love,” Cougar commented.

”You’ve got no idea,” Jake responded, nuzzling Cougar’s neck.  Jensen got lost in the feel of Cougar’s deft hands on his back and the smell of his partner all around him.  Everything else - all his anxiety and alien theories - faded away.

This was home.  This was _safe_.

**

Cougar was definitely up to something and after another day of more bullshit, Jensen was about to serve up an ultimatum. _It’s either your stupid secret or me - make a choice._ It wasn’t like Jensen, in those few moments where reason still counted, didn’t know it was a little over-the-top, but now he was hurt.  This whole thing had moved from curiosity, to annoyance, to worry and now he was just a knot of emotions, none of them good.  They were usually partners in crime and Cougar had always been shitty at keeping important things from him…

At some point, that must have changed and Jensen tried working triage on his feelings to keep from losing it and tying Cougar to the bed in a non-fun kind of way.  He needed to trust Cougar and he did, but he was also not a complete idiot and Cougar wasn't being himself.  Well, not all the time.  And it made no sense.  Jake shouldn’t be held responsible for going crazy when his boyfriend was causing it.

When Jensen walked into their shared room and Cougar quickly shut the laptop he was using and put it on the night table, Jake crossed his arms and frowned.  Jake had worked out a conversation in his head that would lead to explanations and lots of kissing, but he couldn’t remember it in the moment. 

Jake motioned to the computer and said, “I didn’t mean to intrude.  I can come back later.”

“Emails.”

“How’s the family?”

“What?”

“I assumed that was-“

“-fine,” Cougar replied.

Jensen sat down on the bed, kicking off his shoes and throwing his shirt on the floor.  He looked Cougar over, taking in every line of the man’s face, and tried to will him to talk.  That was never an easy feat with Cougar, but Jensen was not used to Cougar actively avoiding looking at him.  Jensen said, “Is everything okay?”

“ _Si_.”

“You sure?  I know I talk a lot, but I can listen too,” Jake replied.

Cougar smiled softly and some of the anxiety disappeared as Cougar leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to Jensen’s lips.  His fingers ran through Jensen’s hair and he said, “You were up all last night coding.  You need to sleep.”

Jake wrapped his arms around Cougar, pulling him in close and pressing his face into Cougar’s hair.  He smiled and said, “I’ve missed you.”

”I’m right here.”

”Barely saw you the past few days.”

Cougar nodded in understanding and he said, “Missed you too, but I had things to do.”

“Anything exciting?”

“No.”

“Did you finish what you needed to?”

“Not yet.”

“Something I can help you with? I’m pretty resourceful.”

Cougar studied him closely for a second and it wasn’t fair how Cougar could see everything Jake was feeling, but Jensen had no damn idea what was going on with the sniper.  He hated it.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was never supposed to feel so far away from Cougar.  There were rules, dammit.

“Cougs, you sure we’re-“

“-everything is fine.  Sleep, _amor_ ,” Cougar replied.

Jensen sighed, but curled up around his pillow and Cougar.  He mumbled, “Love you.”

“ _Te_ _amo_ ,” Cougar responded as he shut off the light and turned to go to sleep.

Jensen knew something was going on, but he was too tired to push it.  Tomorrow...

**

Day five of Cougar’s hi-jinks was when Jensen decided that he had _enough_.  He would get to the bottom of this, no matter what, and he would start with the weak link of the Losers.  

“He’s up to something,” Jensen said, plopping down on the couch next to Pooch, where the man was fiddling with a carburetor.  

Pooch grunted and muttered, “Watch it.  I get grease all over this shirt and I’ll kill you.”

“I don’t care.  Did you hear what I said?  Cougar is avoiding me and _he’s up to something_ ,” Jensen proclaimed.

Pooch put down the carburetor and let out a loud huff, making sure that Jensen was well aware of his annoyance with the intrusion.  It wasn’t like Jensen cared, especially not when Cougar had disappeared for _hours (again!)_ without a word.  His sister had told him more than once not to let his imagination send him spiraling, but he couldn’t help it.  Cougar was being completely un-Coug like with him and the possibilities ranged from dying of some horrible disease to finding a pretty girl with a lot less baggage.   Pooch nudged Jensen and said, “Seriously, man, what’s with the panic?  It’s Cougar.”

“Exactly.  It’s Cougar.”

“I think we’re having two different conversations, Jensen,” Pooch replied.

“Cougar left at six am today-“

“-That’s not that unusual-“

“-and that’s after he was gone all day yesterday and the day before and the day before that.  I’ve barely seen him, which never happens unless he’s on a mission, and when we talk, he’s cagey.   He doesn’t answer my questions and when I asked him where he disappeared to, he shrugged.  A mind-your-own-business kind that he never gives me.”

“I get that the two of you have this creepy-look-into-each-others’-souls-connection, but a man likes his privacy, Jay.  Even from the love of his life.”

“I’m totally telling Jolene that you keep secrets!”

“I did not say that.”

“You inferred it.”

“Do not take this shit out on me because you’re annoyed with Cougar for some weird reason.”

“It’s not weird.  It’s perfectectly normal to be frustrated when your partner is being quiet and sneaky.”

“Those are staples to Cougar’s personality.”

“Not with me!” Jensen snapped.  He stood up and said, “And you’re supposed to be my best friend.  You should be making me feel better, talking me off the ledge and convincing me that Cougar is not about to break up with me right before the holidays.  Not that he should ever break up with me, but that’s just… _Happy New Year, you’re dumped?_   Not cool.”

“Jensen, you’re rambling and freaking out about nothing.”

“So you know where he’s at?”

“Take a second and listen to yourself, man.  This is Cougar.  If you haven’t sent him running by now, he’s not going anywhere.  Think this through.  He’s not going to break up with you.  On that last mission, when you and Roque got taken, he was a mess. A lethal, don’t-fuck-with-what’s-his kind, but still a mess.  Maybe it just scared him and he’s dealing with it.”

“No.”

“Jensen…”

“I know when Cougar is retreating because of shit like that.  This is different.  I can’t figure it out and it’s making me crazy.”

“Well, stop it.   Cougar will talk to you when he’s ready.”

“Yeah, ready to break up with me.  Maybe _I_ should avoid _him_.”

“Don’t you dare ruin my happy holiday season with this insanity!  It’s Cougar.  It’s you-and-Cougar.  It’s obvious to everyone how much he loves you, so don’t do anything stupid.”

Jensen knew that Cougar loved him, but Jensen also knew that he could be a handful, sometimes annoying even himself.  Jensen ran his hand over his face and said, “I hate the world.”

“Good for you,” Pooch replied, picking the carburetor back up.  He glanced at Jensen and asked, “Anything else?  Worried Roque is being hostile?”

“Shut up!  You’re completely useless.  I plan to remember this next time we’re in the middle of the jungle and you want to see Jolene’s face,” Jensen responded.

Pooch snickered and Jensen’s only response was to flip him off and stomp off to his room without another glance at Pooch.  He slammed down into his chair, put his headphones on, and decided to get lost in his computer for a bit.  He tried to let Pooch’s sad attempts at reassurances sink in.  Cougar did love him. 

Jensen believed that, but love wasn’t always enough and Jensen couldn’t stand the idea of their whole relationship falling apart without him even knowing why.  

Something was going on and, if Jensen didn’t figure it out soon, he was going to pull a Roque and start stabbing things.

**

Jake was at his wit’s end by the next morning.  He had purposefully set his alarm to catch his sneaky boyfriend and figure out what was going on.  Except when he sat up in bed the other side was empty.  He heard humming (more stupid humming!  Why was Cougar in such a good mood?) coming from nearby.  When Jensen was about to seek out the familiar voice, the door to the bathroom opened and Cougar stepped out.  Jensen swallowed down the mix of want and worry at the sight of his partner freshly showered, shaved and dressed.  Jensen grinned at him and said, “Looking good there, soldier.”

Cougar smiled back at him and closed the distance, grabbing Jensen’s face and kissing him sweetly.  He said, “ _Hola_.”

Jensen wrapped his arms around Cougar’s waist and said, “A guy can get used to a greeting like that.”

Cougar kissed him again and said, “You’re up early.  Everything okay?”

Jensen knew it was the perfect opportunity to lay it all out there - every worry and wild idea that had crossed his mind that week - but he couldn’t bring himself to say any of it.  Like the coward he was, he responded, “Pooch asked me to help him bake cookies today so that he can show Jolene he’s a man of many talents or some shit like that.  Want to help?”

“Errands.”

Jensen frowned and took Cougar’s hand in his.  He asked, “What’s going on?”  Cougar stared at him like he was crazy.  Jake said, “I’ve barely seen you all week.”

“Things I need to take care of before the holidays and we go to Jessica’s.”

“Okay.”

“Jake…”

Jake pushed the covers away and stood up, grabbing his glasses from the night table.  He shoved them on and said, “It’s cool.”

“Jake,” Cougar repeated.

“Look, it’s obvious that something is up, but whatever.  Don’t talk to me.  It’s fine.”

Cougar looked confused and then something dawned on him.  He wrapped his arms around Jensen and said, “ _Te amo_.”

“I know, but-“

Cougar kissed him and, when he pulled back, Cougar asked, “You trust me?”

“With my life.  You know that.”

“It’s just errands.”

“Errands that you don’t want company for.”

“I’d prefer to go alone.”

“Fine,” Jensen replied.  Off the expression on Cougar’s face, Jensen sighed and said, “One more day.  I will tolerate this shit for one more day, Cougs, but I swear, I will do something extremely awful if this goes beyond that.”

Cougar chuckled and kissed Jensen softly.  He said, “ _Entiendo_.”

Jensen watched him shove his wallet and a piece of paper into his back pocket and then slip his keys onto his finger before heading to the door.  Cougar glanced back at him and Jensen forced a smile and waved him off, even if it was the last thing he wanted to do.

**

“Cougar has made me go crazy,” Jensen lamented into the screen of his laptop where Jess was staring back at him with that you’re-insane-and-how-are-we-related grimace.

“You were born crazy,” Jessica commented.

“Thanks, sis.  You’re just a real pillar of strength in my time of need.”

She scoffed and said, “He said he was running errands, not preparing to fake his own death.”

“I’d just find him if he tried.”

“He knows that and he’d never let you out of his sight for that long anyway,” Jessica replied.  Jensen frowned and Jess added, “It’s Cougar, Jake.  He tolerates all your insanity and bullshit, so cut him some slack.”

“I can’t figure this out.  I don’t like not being able to figure things out, especially not where Cougar is concerned.”

“You’re making a mountain out of a mole hill.  He’s probably finishing up his holiday shopping and you’re a fucking monster to shop with.”

“I guess.”

“Jake, in a few days, you’re going to realize how stupid you were and I’m going to gloat.”

**

Jensen was fucking done.

He had told Cougar that he trusted him and that Cougar got one more day of this nonsense, but after spending all afternoon out finishing up holiday shopping with Pooch, Cougar was nowhere to be seen.  Cougar knew Jake wanted answers and now the sniper was avoiding him.  Jake had been gone for hours, stuck in a car with Pooch who kept playing the same Christmas album over and over, and shoved into overcrowded stores with annoying shoppers.  Jensen wasn’t sure if he believed in heaven and hell, but it definitely felt like he was being punished for something.

All he wanted was a little bit of normal, for Cougar to be there for him to cuddle with and complain about how annoying Pooch was when shopping for Jolene.  Jake wanted Cougar back.

Jensen planned to grab his laptop, retreat to the attic and pout, but he was stopped by Roque.  Roque shook his head and said, “I was asked to give you this.”

Jensen almost didn’t want to take it.  He didn’t really think that Cougar would give him a Dear John note via Roque, but Jensen wasn’t really sure what to believe anymore.  He was frustrated and feeling out of his depth, something he wasn’t accustomed to where Cougar was concerned.

“Take the damn note, Jensen, or I’ll shove it up your ass.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got a way with words?”

“Just yer mom last night,” Roque replied.

Jensen snorted as he snatched the note out of Roque’s hand, turned back into the safety of his room, and shut the door in the man’s face.  If it was worst case scenario, Jensen wasn’t about to breakdown in front of Roque.  That way led to a knife in the leg. 

_Wear something nice._

Jake stared at the note trying to garner some bit of understanding.  He definitely doubted he was getting broken up with, but none of this made any sense.  He was pulled out of his thoughts by a knock at the door.  Pooch walked in without waiting for a reply and tossed clothes at Jensen’s head.  Pooch said, “Jess and Jo made me swear I wouldn’t let you dress yourself.  Put these on.”

“What is going on?”

”It’s what Cougar’s been working on.  I told him you would make us all insane, but whatever.”

”What are you talking about?  Where is Cougar?  Why are you looking at me like that?  Oh God, is he like going on a one-way solo trip to Jupiter?”

”The way your mind works scares me sometimes,” Pooch commented.  He tapped his watch and added, “Stop asking questions and get dressed. I’m not getting shot by a pissy sniper because you mess up his plans.”

“His plans?  Seriously, what’s going on?”

Pooch shoved Jensen and his armful of clothes into the bathroom.  “Change now, talk later.”

**

“What’s going on?”

”You’re a broken fucking record.”

Jensen glared and asked, “Did someone die?”

“You’re about to if you don’t stop with the questions,” Pooch commented as he pulled up to a small house.  “This is your stop.”

“My stop?”

“Get out of my car, Jay.”

“Tell me what I’m walking into.”

“Just get out of the car and you’ll find out.”

“You know I don’t like surprises.  They never go well for me.”

“You wanted to know what Cougar’s been up to, so get out of the goddamn car and go find out.”

“Cougar’s in there?”

“No, I made you get dressed up for a rendezvous with Santa Claus.”

“But Mrs. Claus would be devastated,” Jensen commented, removing his seat belt and opening the door.  He hopped out of the truck, but couldn’t bring himself to move.  He was curious and Cougar wasn’t one for over-the-top gestures, so Jensen’s brain started going through every single possibility.

Dying.  Cougar was dying.

Or he was retiring to travel the world on a dingy made only for one.

Or he was chosen for some top secret time traveling expedition that Jake wasn’t allowed to go on, which was why he wanted to keep watching _Doctor Who_.  It was research for when he left Jensen in the present to date some supercool fellow time traveler.

“Jensen, seriously, move.  It’s Cougar.  If you’re insanity hasn’t made him murder you yet, I’m pretty sure you’re safe.”

“I’ll get you back for whatever part you’ve played in this,” Jensen said before walking up to small sidewalk to the entrance.  The door was open and music filtered out into the night air.   Jake felt a surge of nerves and he knew he was being ridiculous.  It was Cougar.

There was no one he trusted more in the universe than Cougar.

Jensen glanced back toward the street, but Pooch had already taken off.  When Jake turned back around, Cougar was there, dressed in tailored pants that did amazing things to his ass and a sweater that clung in all the right places.  He smiled at Jake and held out his hand to him.

Jensen took it without thought and let himself be pulled in.  The place was decorated and there was a table in the corner set for two and the smell of food wafting toward them.  Jensen used his free hand to motion around the place and said, “You’ve been busy.”

“My errands.”

“This was what you’ve been doing?”

“Part of it,” Cougar replied, ducking his head.

Jensen could tell he was nervous and Cougar never got nervous.  Not even when they were balls-against-the-wall…Cougar didn’t blink.  Jensen squeezed Cougar’s hand and replied, “What’s going on, Cougs?”

Cougar pulled him to a small love-seat and Jake sat down.  Cougar stared at him and Jensen replied, “Seriously, Cougs.  What’s up?  You look like you’re about to throw up.”

”There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

”Okay.”

“I wanted to do something special, to show you what you mean to me.”

Jensen smiled and said, “I don’t need anything like that.  I just want you.”

“You sure?”

“You’re the one thing that I’m always sure of,” Jensen replied.

Cougar nodded and stood up.  After the past week, Jensen was expecting him to walk off and leave the conversation at that.  Jensen did not anticipate Cougar dropping down onto his knee in front of Jake and holding out a ring.

Jensen stared at him and said, “If this is some weird joke, I will throw your chocolate on an ant hill and melt your weapons.”

“Jake, _amor_ , you’re _mi vida_.”

Jensen blinked at Cougar, aware of the loving expression on the man’s face and the way his hand was shaking slightly with the ring.  For the first time in his life, Jensen couldn’t think of anything to say.  He had never really thought about marriage, not realistically, but he suddenly wanted it more than anything. 

“Our jobs can be dangerous and we can’t promise each other as many years as I want, but I do know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“Okay,” Jensen managed to get out.

Cougar looked unsure and said, “We never talked about this and if it’s not what you want-“

“-not what I…” Jensen stopped and grabbed a handful of Cougar’s sweater, nearly making the man lose his balance and drop the ring.  Jensen kissed him, trying to convey everything he was suddenly unable to say.  He loved this man, more than he thought was possible, and he couldn’t imagine anything better than Carlos Alvarez as his _husband_.

Cougar’s arms wound around Jensen’s waist, increasing the pressure of the kiss, and he sighed out, “ _Te amo_.”

“You’re mine,” Jensen replied, resting his forehead against Cougar’s.

“ _Si_.”

“The answer is ‘yes’ by the way.  I love you and you’re all I’ve ever wanted, in whatever way I could have.  Sorry for taking so long to say it, but I wasn’t expecting this.”

“Your sister and Pooch mentioned as much,” Cougar replied.

“My sister was in on this?”

“I wanted her blessing.”

Jensen rolled his eyes because it was so perfectly Cougar and endearing.  He kissed the man again, practically hauling him into his lap and held up his hand.  He said, “I think that ring belongs on my finger.”

“You sure?”

“No take backs.”

“I just don’t want you to feel like you have to-“

“-Cougar, you know me.  When do I ever do something that I don’t want to?  Now gimme my ring,” Jensen replied.

Cougar chuckled and removed the ring from the small box.  He slipped it onto Jake’s finger and lifted it to his lips.  He said, “Forever.”

“And then some.  I told you before – I’m not that easy to get rid of,” Jensen replied.  Cougar kissed him and Jensen got lost in the moment.  A part of him wanted to memorize every single detail so he would always have it, but he decided to go with it.  To enjoy what Cougar had done for him.  He pulled back and said, “This didn’t even cross my mind.  You taking a solo trip to Jupiter seemed more likely.”

”I wouldn’t go anywhere without you.”

”Cougar...” Jensen choked out, feeling more than a little stupid and totally in awe of the fact that Cougar was _his_.

”I’m sorry you were upset.  Once I decided I wanted to do this, I hoped it would be a surprise.”

“I hate surprises.”

“I know.  I almost caved this morning.  I didn’t like that look on your face.”

“I was convinced you were trying to break up with me.  Or dying.  Or moving to outer space.”

“Like you wouldn’t follow me.”

“Of course I would, but I’d prefer you to want the company.  Makes me less of a stalker.”

Cougar rolled his eyes and cupped Jake’s face.  He said, “I can’t remember a time before I loved you and I wouldn’t want to.  No one could mean what you do to me.  And your sister said she would dismember me if I ever hurt you. “

“Jess should write fucking Hallmark cards,” Jensen said.  He ran his fingers along Cougar’s jaw and added, “And you’re not so bad with your words when you want to be, Carlos.  I almost swooned.”

“ _Idiota_.”

“Yeah, but I’m your idiot.  Ring says so and there’s no take backs,” Jensen replied.  He glanced around and asked, “Where are we?”

”Friend from base.  He’s being shipped to another base and said we could take over the lease if we wanted.”

”Really?”

”your apartment off base is scary and mine is too small.  And this is close enough to base that we could stay here most of the time.”

Jake hugged him and said, “You really thought about this.”

”Si.”

”I don’t know how I got so damn lucky, but I love you, Cougs.  And this is the best gift ever...but don’t think you won’t pay for making me crazy this past week,” Jensen replied.  Cougar chuckled and Jake buried his face in Cougar’s hair.  This was his home...forever.

 


End file.
